If you don’t much like handing out credit card numbers and fat fistfuls of cash willy-nilly, or if you just get bored typing in your card number every time you buy something online, here’s good news: Skype takes PayPal.

Of course, Skype calls and Skype chats don’t need any kind of payment at all – much my favourite kind of transaction. But when you want to buy stuff from the Skype Shop or call landlines or mobiles, you’ll have to cough up some pennies.

PayPal, as eBay addicts know, is basically a secure online wallet. Open a PayPal account, and you can buy and sell using that account – so you never have to send a cheque or hand over your money details to a fellow eBayer. You can either dip into your secure balance, or ask PayPal to deduct money securely from your plastic or bank account.

Some Skype transactions, including Skype Credit, SkypeIn and Voicemail, accept an even simpler version of PayPal: PayPal Pre-approved. This means you don’t have to sign into PayPal and authenticate each purchase individually; instead it’s all done in a couple of clicks. Beats queing in Asda after a long day at work, doesn’t it?